Tharion
THARION
I stalked her through the corridors of the city’s underbelly, my senses razor-sharp. The human female’s scent lingered in the air. It drew me in, made me want to chase her even more.
But I held back, content to follow at a distance. This was a hunt, after all, and the thrill of pursuit sang in my blood.
The lower levels of the station buzzed with activity. Shady vendors hawked their wares from makeshift stalls, the air thick with the smell of exotic foods and illicit substances. I passed a Volek mercenary haggling over the price of a plasma rifle, his tentacled face twisted in annoyance.
“Come on, you overgrown squid,” the Ewani merchant squeaked. “This beauty’s worth twice what I’m asking.”
I ignored their bickering, my focus solely on my prey. She darted through the crowd, her auburn hair a beacon in the sea of aliens. Every now and then, she’d glance back, her eyes wide with fear when she caught sight of me.
The crowd parted as I passed, conversations dying mid-sentence. Even hardened criminals gave me a wide berth. They knew better than to get between a Vinduthi and his quarry.
“Did you see that?” a nearby Fanaith whispered to his companion. “It’s one of them Vinduthi. On the hunt, by the looks of it.”
“Poor bastard,” his friend replied. “Wouldn’t want to be whoever he’s after.”
I allowed myself a small smile, baring my pointed canines. Let them talk. Their fear only made this more enjoyable.
The human female ducked down a side passage, and I followed, unhurried. She was tiring, her steps slowing. I could have caught her at any time, but something held me back. There was more to this chase than just the bounty.
Her scent called to me in a way I’d never experienced before. It stirred something primal within me, a hunger that went beyond mere physical desire.
It was just the thrill of the hunt.
Nothing more.
A section of the corridor ahead was sealed off, forcing her to change direction. She hesitated, giving me a clear view of her face. Even twisted with fear and exhaustion, she was beautiful.
I shook off the feeling, focusing on the chase. This was business, nothing more. I repeated it like a mantra, trying to convince myself.
As we entered a more open area of the station, conversations swirled around me.
“Heard the Crag-Worm races are fixed,” a shrill voice said excitedly.
“Nah, that’s old news,” his companion replied. “The real money’s in - hey, watch it!”
I brushed past them, my eyes locked on my target. She was slowing down, fatigue evident in every movement. Just a little further, and she’d be mine.
Suddenly, a golden light flashed across my vision. The human female cried out in shock as an energy net enveloped her, sending her crashing to the ground. Fury erupted within me, a roar tearing from my throat.
“Who dares?” I snarled, rushing to her side. The net crackled with energy, pinning her to the floor. Her eyes met mine, filled with terror.
I reached out to free her, my mind racing. Who would dare interfere with my hunt? As my fingers touched the net, pain exploded through my body. Another net, this one crackling with blue energy, wrapped around me.
I struggled against it, my strength straining against the bonds. But before I could break free, a third net hit me, then a fourth. The world began to spin, and the last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the human female’s face, her expression unreadable.
As blackness claimed me, one thought echoed through my mind:
This wasn’t over.
Someone would pay for this.
I woke with a pounding headache and a mouth that tasted like recycled garbage. The cold, hard surface beneath me did nothing to improve my mood. As awareness returned, memories flooded back - the chase, the nets, the ambush. Fury coursed through my veins, hot and potent.
My eyes snapped open, taking in the dim cell. Bare metal walls, a single flickering light, and the faint hum of energy fields. No windows, no obvious weak points. Whoever had captured us knew what they were doing.
Us. The human female. Lina.
I sat up, ignoring the protest of sore muscles, and scanned the small space. There, crumpled in the corner, lay her still form. My breath caught as I took in her torn clothing, the bruises forming on her exposed skin.
Rage, white-hot and all-consuming, threatened to overwhelm me. How dare they harm her? She was mine to hunt, mine to... protect?
The thought gave me pause.
I’d obviously hit my head when we were captured.
I just needed to assess her condition.
I moved to her side, my senses picking up her steady heartbeat and shallow breathing. Relief flooded through me, followed quickly by confusion at my own reaction. Why should I care about her well-being? She was just a job, nothing more.
But as I looked down at her fragile form, something stirred within me. An unfamiliar urge to gather her close, to shield her from further harm. I shook my head, trying to clear these foreign thoughts.
A soft groan escaped her lips as she began to stir. Her eyelids fluttered, then snapped open. Fear flooded her gaze as she took in my looming presence.
“Stay back!” she cried, scrambling away until her back hit the wall.
Her fear... it bothered me. More than it should have. I’d reveled in inspiring terror before, but now it left a sour taste in my mouth.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” I said, my voice low and as gentle as I could manage.
She eyed me warily, clearly not believing me. “Where are we? What happened?”
I clenched my jaw, struggling to piece together the fragmented memories of our capture. The throbbing in my head made it difficult to focus, but I forced myself to concentrate.
“I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice rougher than usual. “We were ambushed. Energy nets. Professional job.”
Lina’s eyes darted around the cell, her breathing quick and shallow. I could smell the fear radiating off her in waves, mixed with something else – a scent that made my blood tingle.
“Who are they? What do they want?”
Before I could respond, the low hum of the energy field intensified. A section of the wall shimmered and dissolved, revealing a hulking figure silhouetted against the brighter light of the corridor beyond.
Our captor stepped into the cell, the energy barrier reforming behind him. He was a Krelaxian, his leathery skin a mottled green and brown. Thick arms crossed over his barrel chest, each ending in wickedly sharp claws.
“Well, well,” he rumbled, his voice like gravel in a cement mixer. “The famous Vinduthi bounty hunter and his little human prize. Comfortable?”
I rose to my feet, positioning myself between Lina and the Krelaxian. A growl built in my chest, my pointed canines bared in a snarl.
“Who are you?” I demanded. “What do you want with us?”
The Krelaxian’s lipless mouth stretched in what might have been a smile. “Always so direct, you Vinduthi. No appreciation for subtlety.” He paced the small cell, his multiple eyes never leaving us. “You can call me Grax. As for what I want... information.”
Lina shifted behind me, her small hand tentatively touching my back.
“We don’t know anything,” Lina said, her voice steadier than I expected.
Grax’s attention snapped to her, and I had to resist the urge to lunge at him. “Oh, but I think you do, little one. You just might not realize it yet.”
He turned back to me, his expression hardening. “Here’s the deal, Vinduthi. Get the information we need out of your human, and we’ll cut you loose. Hell, we might even throw in a bonus. I hear you’re not opposed to a bit of... flexible morality when the price is right.”
My gut flared hot with anger. “And if I refuse?”
Grax’s claws extended with an ominous click. “Then things get very unpleasant for both of you. Starting with her.”
Red tinged my vision at the threat. I took a step forward, coiled and ready to strike. But Grax merely laughed, tapping a device on his wrist. The energy field crackled ominously.
“I wouldn’t,” he warned. “This barrier is calibrated specifically for Vinduthi physiology. One touch, and you’ll be writhing on the floor in agony. Not a pretty sight.”
“What information could a human possibly have that’s worth all this?”
Grax’s multiple eyes blinked in sequence. “That’s for us to know and you to find out. You have one hour. Get creative.”
With that, he stepped back through the energy barrier, leaving us alone once more.
I turned to Lina, taking in her pale face and wide eyes. She looked so fragile, so human. Yet there was a steel in her gaze that spoke of hidden depths.
“Are you alright?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended.
She nodded, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m fine. But what are we going to do?”
I drummed my fingers on the wall in frustration. “I don’t know. But I’m not going to let them hurt you.”
The words slipped out before I could stop them. Lina’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Why?” she asked. “I thought you were hunting me. Why do you care what happens to me now?”
The truth was, I didn’t know why I cared. But I did. At least a little bit.
Before I could respond, voices drifted through the thin walls of our cell.
“We’ll have the prize before those Obsidian Dawn bastards even know what hit them,” Grax chuckled. “The human girl is the key. Once we extract the information...”
The rest of his sentence faded as he moved away, but my mind raced. Obsidian Dawn? Prize? What in the dark hells was going on here?
The conversation faded as the speakers moved away, but it left me with more questions than answers. I looked at Lina, studying her face for any sign of recognition.
“Does any of that mean anything to you?” I asked.
She shook her head, but I caught the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. “I don’t know what they’re talking about. I’m nobody special.”
I wasn’t so sure about that.